Grating

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a grating consisting of parallel bearing bars connected by cross bars running perpendicular to the bearing bars, and of a frame, the grating having higher bearing bars in some areas than in the other areas.

The invention relates to a grating consisting of parallel bearing bars connected by cross bars running perpendicular to the bearing bars, and of a frame.

Gratings of this kind are known, for example from the DE 201 00 630 U1, and are used as structural elements in many areas, in particular as floor, handrail, stair or facade components.

The degree to which such gratings are designed as solid elements varies in accordance with the anticipated load. Generally, it is considerably more economical to support loads with bearing bars having a high height-to-thickness ratio (as a rule 20:1 or more) than with bearing bars where this ratio is lower.

According to the prior art, even the localized occurrence of higher loads necessitates the use of more solid gratings suited to the higher loads in question; this is due to the fact that only gratings with bearing bars and cross bars that are uniformly dimensioned in each case are available. On the other hand, using a relatively small number of heavy-duty bearing bars poses the problem of a wide-meshed, grating through which smaller objects could fall.

The object of this invention is to create a grating that offers an optimal relation between its localized loadability and its cost, and which additionally permits a relatively close-meshed structure.

This object is established according to the invention in that the bearing bars are higher in some parts of the grating than in other parts.

By virtue of this arrangement, those parts of the grating subjected to a higher load are able to withstand this load because the higher bearing bars in these areas have a reinforcing effect. The loadability of the bearing bars increases as the square of their height, i.e. doubling the height of the bearing bars increases their loadability fourfold. In the other areas, which are subjected to a lower load, the material input remains unchanged; the use in these areas of bearing bars that are not as high permits the economical production of a close-meshed grating. The relation between localized loadability and the cost of the grating is thus optimized.

A preferred embodiment of the invention consists in that the grating is a press locked grating.

An embodiment of the invention is described below by reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a grating according to the invention and

FIG. 2 shows a partial view of this grating.

As shown in FIG. 1, the grating of the invention—said grating being a press locked grating—consists of bearing bars 1, cross bars 2 running perpendicular to these bearing bars 1, and a frame 3.

FIG. 2 shows that the bearing bars 1 b in the area X have a greater height h₂ than the bearing bars 1 a, the height of which is denoted by h₁, in the other areas. Since the square of the height of the bearing bars 1 is used to calculate the loadability, the loadability of the grating in the area X containing bearing bars 1 b, which are twice as high as the bearing bars 1 a, is four times higher than in the other areas. In this way, a maximum localized loadability can be obtained for the grating while costs are kept to a minimum. The main purpose of the bearing bars 1 b, being higher, is thus to support loads, while the bearing bars 1 a, being lower, serve mainly to produce a closer mesh and keep material costs low.

It goes without saying that any other height ratios h₂:h₁ are also possible.

It is furthermore within the scope of this invention that just a single bearing bar 1 has a greater height h₂ than the other bearing bars 1. 

1. A grating consisting of parallel bearing bars connected by cross bars running perpendicular to the bearing bars, and of a frame, wherein the grating has higher bearing bars (1) in some areas (X) than in the other areas.
 2. The grating of claim 1, wherein the grating is a press locked grating. 